Greek verbs “πίνω” and “πεινάω” – I drink and I am hungry!

The Greek verbs Greek verbs “πίνω” and “πεινώ” ( I drink and I am hungry) are verbs you hear on a daily basis, but might be a bit confusing for you. Those two verbs are conjugated differently, since they belong to different verb categories. 

Verb confusion!

The verb «πίνω» belongs to the category of verbs that you learn to conjugate from your first lessons in Greek.
Also other very common verbs, as «έχω» (to have), «κάνω» (to do/make), » παίρνω» (to take) and «θέλω» (to want) belong to the same group of verbs and are conjugated the same way in the present tense.
When you master to conjugate those verbs, then  you normally will be also introduced to another group of verbs ending in Present in –άω/–ώ.
For example, ‘μιλάω or μιλώ’ (= to speak) is a classic example of this group as students usually know from the beginning phrases such as;
‘Μιλάς / Μιλάτε ελληνικά;’ (= Do you speak Greek?) or also  ‘Δε μιλάω ελληνικά!’ (= I don’t speak Greek).
When more examples of this verb-group are needed, the verb ‘πεινάω or πεινώ’ (= to be hungry) makes its appearance in class. And chaos is on its way!

There is no doubt that (‘πίνω’  to drink) and ‘πεινώ’ (to be hungry) are two of the most commonly confused words in Greek since they sound so similar.

You stress the wrong syllable and the person you are talking to might burst out laughing!
After introducing the students to these two verbs, teachers always expect phrases such as:

‘Δεν πεινώ κρασί’ (= I am not hungry wine) instead of ‘Δεν πίνω κρασί’ (= I don’t drink wine)
or
‘Πίνω. Πάμε στην ταβέρνα;’ (= I drink. Shall we go to the tavern?) instead of the right ‘Πεινώ. Πάμε στην ταβέρνα;’ (= I am hungry. Shall we go to the tavern?)

So, let’s end this confusion and learn the grammar below.

The verb «πίνω» – Verb Category A

 

To make it easy for you, click to watch the video first and learn how to conjugate the verb «πίνω» in the present and future tense.

	Present	Future Simple	Past Simple
εγώ	πίνω	θα πιω	ήπια
εσύ	πίνεις	θα πιεις	ήπιες
αυτός, αυτή, αυτό	πίνει	θα πιει	ήπιε
εμείς	πίνουμε	θα πιούμε	ήπιαμε
εσείς	πίνετε	θα πιείτε	ήπιατε
αυτοί, αυτές, αυτά	πίνουν(ε)	θα πιουν / θα πιούνε	ήπιαν / ήπιανε

Example sentences and expressions with ‘πίνω’ :

 

Η μητέρα μου πάντα πίνει ένα φλιτζάνι τσάι το απόγευμα.

My mother always drinks a cup of tea in the afternoon.

Τι θα πιείτε, παρακαλώ; or Θα πιείτε κάτι;

What will you drink, please? / Will you drink something? (= this is what a waiter asks the customers in a restaurant)

 

Expressions:

1. ‘πίνω το αίμα κάποιου’ (= to suck somebody’s blood)
2. ‘πίνω νερό στο όνομα (κάποιου)’ (= to trust somebody blindly and show them great respect, to think highly of somebody)
   Δεν μπορεί να πιστέψει ότι η Μαρία έκλεψε τα χρήματα. Μέχρι χθες έπινε νερό στο όνομά της.
   (He can’t believe Mary stole the money. He always held her in the highest regard.)
3. ‘ήπια το αμίλητο νερό’ (= used for someone who in a given situation remains silent, they don’t say a word)
   Δεν έχεις πει κουβέντα σήμερα. Τι έγινε; Ήπιες το αμίλητο νερό;
   (You are so quiet today. What’s wrong? Did you drink the ‘unspoken water’*?)
   * this expression derives from a custom called ‘Κλήδονας’, during the first phase of which single women fill up their pitchers with water from a spring and then, on their way back to the village, they have to remain silent, even though men tease them to make them speak.Note: most students will use the verb mostly in the present and future tense,
   but for the more advanced students, also have a look at the other tenses.

   Present	πίνω
   Past Continuous	έπινα
   Past Simple	ήπια
   Future Simple	θα πιω
   Future Continuous	θα πίνω
   Present Perfect	έχω πιει
   Past Perfect	είχα πιει
   Future Perfect	θα έχω πιει

    

The verb Πεινάω – verb category B

Now that you have learned the verb «to drink», let’s have a look at the verb «to be hungry», which is conjugated differently.
First, take a look at the video, and learn how to conjugate this verb and how to use it in a sentence:

	Present	Future Simple	Past Simple
εγώ	πεινάω / πεινώ	θα πεινάσω	πείνασα
εσύ	πεινάς	θα πεινάσεις	πείνασες
αυτός, αυτή, αυτό	πεινάει / πεινά	θα πεινάσει	πείνασε
εμείς	πεινάμε / πεινούμε	θα πεινάσουμε	πεινάσαμε
εσείς	πεινάτε	θα πεινάσετε	πεινάσατε
αυτοί, αυτές, αυτά	πεινάν(ε) / πεινούν(ε)	θα πεινάσουν(ε)	πείνασαν / πεινάσανε

Example sentences and expressions with ‘πεινάω ’ :

Τα παιδιά πεινάνε πολύ. Θα τους φτιάξω μία ομελέτα.
(The children are very hungry. I will make them an omelet.)

Keep in mind that the Past Simple form ‘πείνασα’ is very often used when referring to the present, e.g.

Πεινάω!  Θα φάω γιαούρτι με μέλι και καρύδια!
(I am hungry! I will have yogurt with honey and walnuts!)

Expressions :

1. πεινάω σαν λύκος [= I am (as) hungry as a wolf; the Greek equivalent of the English expression ‘(I am so hungry), I could eat a horse’]
   Πεινάω σαν λύκος! Δεν είναι έτοιμο ακόμη το φαγητό;
   (I am so hungry, I could eat a horse! The food is not ready yet?)

Note: most students will use the verb mostly in the present and future tense,
but for the more advanced students, also have a look at the other tenses.

Present	πεινάω / πεινώ
Past Continuous	πεινούσα
Past Simple	πείνασα
Future Simple	θα πεινάσω
Future Continuous	θα πεινάω
Present Perfect	έχω πεινάσει
Past Perfect	είχα πεινάσει
Future Perfect	θα έχω πεινάσει

 

Was this a useful lesson? Are you confused about more verbs?

 If you are interested in learning more Greek verbs, in the present, future and past tenses,
then those Verb Books about Category A and Category B, are exactly what you will need now.